NORWALK -- Fire Chief Denis McCarthy has approached his counterparts in Westport and Wilton to consider building a regional fire station in northern Cranbury.
McCarthy outlined his proposal for a long-planned sixth Norwalk station to serve the region in a one-page memo Tuesday to Mayor Richard Moccia and the fire chiefs of Westport and Wilton.
"I believe that the potential exists for collaboration with our two neighboring communities who would also benefit from a firehouse in that general vicinity," McCarthy wrote. "I am prepared to work (with them) to create a cost-effective solution to this need that we all share."
A 10-year study of the Norwalk Fire Department recommended the city begin funding the construction of a $6.5 million sixth fire station to improve response times and residents' fire insurance ratings. Construction would begin in 2011.
A station for the northern part of the city has been contemplated for several years, in part because of the construction of the Merritt 7 office park in the 1990s and ongoing residential growth. For example, FF Realty LLC last year received approval from the Zoning and Conservation commissions to build a 235-unit residential development at the former Pepperidge Farm site along Westport's border.
Requests by previous fire chiefs for station design funds were rejected by elected officials.
McCarthy, who was hired last year, said in an interview yesterday he believes construction of a station is still several years away. Still, he said he wants members of the Planning Commission, who are updating the Master Plan of Conservation and Development, as well as elected officials, to begin considering city-owned property and open space in Cranbury as potential sites.
"It would be prudent for us to ensure that the city does not sell or commit any municipally owned property or other available property in that area without first considering the potential for a firehouse," McCarthy wrote.
One site he called "attractive" is city-owned land located by the Merritt Parkway, across from Cranbury Elementary School.
"I needed to go on record with the city so we don't squander an opportunity if for some reason the city decided to sell a piece of land," McCarthy said yesterday.
McCarthy's memo is also a response to city officials who have suggested a sixth fire station should take priority over his and Mayor Richard Moccia's controversial proposal to build a $14 million central fire headquarters along Fairfield Avenue.
Until Moccia's election, the city had been planning a $4 million renovation of the 40-year-old Charles A. Volk Central Fire Station and a Fairfield Avenue bus garage to create a firefighting campus.
McCarthy tonight will try to persuade the Common Council's Planning Committee to consider funding $600,000 in the 2006-07 capital budget to design a new headquarters to be built at the bus garage site.
McCarthy has said he supported the renovation because it was the best he could get at the time. But Moccia has since expressed willingness to find the funds for a new headquarters consolidating all firefighting functions.
"Our efficiency will improve dramatically if we have a modern facility capable of supporting all our operations," McCarthy said.
He said the city could build a sixth station but it would sit empty because the union's contract requires each station be manned by 16 persons.
"Are we putting money into a fire headquarters when we should be looking at the Cranbury station? Both are important projects for the fire department," McCarthy said. "(But) the city is not in a position to hire 16 new employees to man (a sixth station)."
McCarthy said staffing assistance is just one reason why Norwalk should pursue a sixth station with help from neighboring towns.
The third reason for issuing his memo is to prompt discussion among Norwalk and its neighbors because any collaboration on a station would be complicated.
"As we saw with the health department, the whole idea of regionalization doesn't come on the turn of a dime," McCarthy said, referring to the unsuccessful proposal to merge the Norwalk Health Department with New Canaan's Health Department.
"We can't just all agree to divide up the costs and two years from now cut the ribbon," McCarthy said. "The unions are a key player. And we have to decide who owns the station, equipment and manpower and make sure everybody gets the benefit."
McCarthy served as fire chief in Westport before coming to Norwalk last year. Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff said his town has mutual aid pacts -- agreements between municipalities for offer assistance at fires -- with Norwalk, Westport, Weston and Wilton, so "exploring" a regional station would be the next logical step.
"I know our northwest area, where we had a fatal house fire over St. Patrick's Day weekend, is an area where the response time for Westport fire is the longest," Joseloff said. "So there's a great need and I've long been an advocate of regionalization."
Joseloff said McCarthy is the ideal person to lead the effort because of his familiarly with Westport.
Moccia said he too supports McCarthy's efforts.
"Sixteen more firefighters added on is a sizable amount," Moccia said. "But perhaps we could provide eight and Westport and Wilton four each."
Moccia, however, said another of McCarthy's suggestions in his memo to consider the 18-acre White Barn Theater property for a sixth fire station is "out of the question."
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